Like many people this year, we never took a vacation. Honestly, we haven’t done much of anything because of coronavirus. That said, Hubby knew I was missing my favorite place … the beach! That is why he decided to surprise me with the perfect day date that would allow me to experience the salt in my hair and the sun on my face … and a cocktail in my hand! We were able to do it in a way that allowed me to feel safe without having to get sand in my shoes, either.
Located just a short 45 minutes from the Nonahood, you can find a historic landmark on Florida’s Space Coast, the world-famous Westgate Cocoa Beach Pier. The pier stretches 800 feet over the Atlantic Ocean and is home to restaurants, bars, gift shops, and more. While fishing on the pier and volleyball on the beach are currently closed (at least at the time this article was written), you can still rent beach chairs or find a socially distanced table to eat and drink at in one of their five restaurants/bars – which was exactly what we planned to do.
Parking is available at the pier entrance for $15, or you can drive a couple blocks over and find meter parking on the street, which was only $2.50 an hour. But if you plan on making a day at the beach, the pier parking may be a better option.
Once parked, we walked over to the pier entrance, where I was happy to see they were checking temperatures and requiring masks. (Of course, masks can be removed if you are seated at one of the restaurant tables.) Once we got the okay to enter, we took our time, window shopping at the cute boutiques and just watching people on the beach. We followed the pier path all the way to the end and went out to the alleyway, which takes you over the water. We saw several people who were cleaning public areas and noticed hand sanitizing stations have also been deployed throughout the entire pier. Because of COVID-19, there currently isn’t any walkup bar service, but guests can order drinks (as well as food) at any of the six-feet-apart seating areas at the restaurants. Since I felt so safe and it was such a lovely day, we chose to sit at a table by the Rikki Tiki Tavern, which has an adorable thatched roof that covers the whole deck.
There is a barcode on each table that you can scan to find the contactless menu. Of course, there are plenty of seafood options, but since Hubby and I are both allergic, we opted for the Pier Burger – a specialty blend of brisket, short rib, and chuck, which made for a very juicy double patty burger that they served on a freshly baked brioche roll. I honestly wasn’t expecting much but was pleasantly surprised with the taste. I also ordered a signature cocktail called Fun at the Beach in a souvenir Tiki cup! It was super refreshing!
As we waited for our food, we enjoyed the ocean breeze and watched all the surfers! I don’t know about you, but when I think of places to surf in the United States, Hawaii and California always come to mind. I had no idea that Cocoa Beach has a huge surf culture and is even known for having the best of the waves, even being referred to as the East Coast surf capital. I found out that the area has produced several world-class surfers, including 11-time world champion Kelly Slater. While we were content just watching the action, we were told by our waiter that there are several surf schools if you want to learn. Our waiter also told us that from the spot we had on the deck, you can often see dolphins and manatees. We didn’t see any, but perhaps that was because so many people were surfing while we were there.
After a few hours we left the pier, sunburned (don’t be like us … remember to use sunscreen), bellies full, and very relaxed. It was the perfect way to enjoy the beach – without having to get all sandy.
Westgate Cocoa Beach Pier is located at 401 Meade Ave., Cocoa Beach, FL, 32931. The pier phone number is (321) 783-7549. Currently, the hours of operation are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., but visit their website to confirm or for more information: https://www.cocoabeachpier.com/.
